3. When will I learn about acceptance into the program?
Early offers can be made before the deadline of February 1 for the fall semester, but generally most acceptance letters are sent between February 1 and April 15. Students who are accepted into the program are asked to tell us their decision before April 15. Applicants will be notified when action is taken. (If you have not heard back from us, it means your application is still under consideration.
Baylor University is a member of the Council of Graduate Schools (CGS). Baylor abides by a CGS Resolution, "Resolution Regarding Graduate Scholars, Fellows, Trainees and Assistants," that concerns the conditions surrounding the acceptance of offers of certain kinds of graduate student financial assistance, namely, scholarships, fellowships, traineeships, and assistantships. The general spirit of the Resolution is that students should have an opportunity to consider more than one offer and should have until April 15th to do so, that institutions and students should be able to view acceptances in force after April 15th as binding, that everyone should know what the rules are, and that an offer by the institution and its acceptance by the student constitute an agreement which both expect to honor.

6. What stipend and tuition assistance does the department offer?
Students accepted into the program are offered the position of Teaching Assistant and given a full tuition waiver. Students are asked to teach up to 3 laboratory sections per semester or perform other teaching duties within the department. The base stipend for the department for the 2013-2014 calendar year (including summer) is $20,405. Often, however, the Graduate School offers stipend enhancements for outstanding students, which can range up to an additional $6000 per year.
For fall 2013 incoming Ph.D. students, the average enhancement is $3429.
Additional funds are available through individual faculty grants or Texas Space Consortium Scholarships.

7. I am an international student. What TOEFL, IELTS or PTE scores are required? Is the application fee required?
Theses exams are required of all foreign national and permanent resident applicants. The minimum scores required on the TOEFL are as follows.
Paper-based minimum score: 550
Computer-based minimum score: 213
Internet-based minimum score: 80.
Similarly, the minimum IELTS and PTE scores are 6.5 and 58, respectively. If the minimum score is not achieved, the applicant should retake the exam.
These exams are not required of applicants who have completed a bachelor's (or higher) degree from an accredited U.S. institution. Please see the Graduate School website under Application Steps>Submit Test Scores for more information.
The application fee is $50. This can be waived under exceptional circumstances.